Sunday, March 15, 2009

Biphobia Alerts: Two separate incidents to deal with

First, there is a tragically (mis)named website called "Broadening Our Gay Unity: For A Better Tomorrow" whose Mission Statement talks about "the prospective, tragic threat, duplicity and danger of the "B" in LGBT, exposed." If you read the Guest Book, it is full of hateful messages about bisexuals such as "BI RHYMES WITH LIE AND DIE", and also quoting the discredited Bailey research.

Rick T, a member of NYC's long running discussion group for bisexual and bi-friendly people BiRequest contacted the website, only to receive this response:

"SHAME ON YOU. Bisexuals are maintaining hetero-privilege and collaborating with the homophobes while simultaneously enjoying the gay lifestyle. Female bisexuals are attention seeking heterosexuals, while male ones are just self-denying homosexuals too afraid to fully acknowledge their true orientation. Bisexuals are actually closeted gay people who wish to appear heterosexual. Bisexuals want to undermine the GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT. BI IS A LIE . . . . . BEWARE OF THEIR VILE, HOMOPHOBIC AGENDA!!!!"

Though we are all staunch advocates of Free Speech and the 1st Amendment, we also believe the old adage that another person's freedom to swing their arms ends when their fists are in danger of connecting with our nose or in this case the "Bi, Lie, Die" thing et. al.

The website is on a free web server, and the webhosts state that they have a policy against ". . . the defamation of others . . . and offensive activity". Click here for the form for reporting offensive content. If the hosting service gets enough complaints, this offensive site may be shut down or at least forced to amend their public threats.

The same people also seem to have a YouTube page It is not clear whether or not someone can be removed from YouTube, but if he gets enough posts that male bisexuals are NOT confused gay men, and female bisexuals are NOT attention-seeking straight women, eventually he might listen.

Second, The Tyra Banks Show(a Warner Bros. Television product) has a Poll about whether or not bisexuals exist(Yes ANOTHER one!). The votes and commentary are running in our favor on this one, at least, but Tyra Banks and her corporate handlers need to hear that the very existence of such a poll is offensive - as one person astutely points out, "it's like asking if biracial people exist."

Great News! BiNet USA is pleased to report that their close relationship with GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) resulted in another quick and effective collaborative response and "The Tyra Banks Show" removed the offensive Web Poll and are in discussion about more truthful portrayals of bisexual, pansexual and fluid people.

The first site is tiny and doesn't deserve any further attention. The more attention we give it, the more validated that bigot will feel. The second is two months old and the comments are filled with pro-bi comments and outrage about the biphobia. Let them rest--there has to be a completion of our response to them. Let us focus on the next challenges.